Folding leg stool



Nov. 17, 1931. -c. H. JOHNSON FOLD ING LEG STOOL Filed May 16. 1950 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 PATE NT OFFICE CARL H. JOHNSON, 0F PORTLAND, MAINE FOLDING LEG STOOL Application filed May 16, 1930. Serial No. 452,941.

The invention hereinafter to be described relates, in general terms, to furniture but.

more particularly deals with chairs and stools equipped with legs which may on certain occasions be folded beneath and into compact relation with the seat.

I am aware of the fact that numerous types and styles of folding stools have, from time to time, been devised, but in my present in vention I have sought and I believe attained certain objects which invest it with advantages not heretofore incorporated in articles of this general class.

Furniture, like various other manufactured commodities, is susceptible of a Wide range in production costs, and if he is engaged in the low-price, highly competitive field the success of the inventor largely depends upon his ability to meet the public demand for not only a low priced but at the same time a substantially constructed article.

In the present instance I have aimed, as a general proposition, to provide a serviceable and useful piece of furniture and have planned it with the object in view of simplifying its structure in order to procure low production cost; to design it so that its conversion from a standing to a folded stool may be easily and quickly accomplished and that, when folded, a comparatively small space is required to store a large number of them.

In order to obtain a clearer understanding of the character of my invention reference should be had to the description found in the following specification which. when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses an embodiment which, at the presout time, I consider preferable to other possible forms in which the invention might be carried out.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view of the stool, in perspective; I

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side view. showing the parts folded;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing the method of attaching the legs to the seat;

Figs. 5 and 6 show, respectively, the edge and face views of the upper portions of two of the legs, and

Fig. 7-is a modified form of the tie member.

Similar reference characters identify like parts in all views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the seat of the stool, to the under side of which the legs 2, 2a and 2b are pivotally attached by means of the hinges 3. V

The top ends of the legs 2a and 2b are obliquely cut in two ways or directions (see Figs. 5 and 6) so that a slight flare or incline of the legs may be had and at the same time afair and true contact of the top ends of the legs with the bottom side of the seat be procured.

Located intermediate the ends of the three legs and serving to hold them against spreading is a tie member a, the ends of pintles 5 of which engage sockets 6 made in'the adjacent sides of the respective legs 2a and 26.

Before mounting this member on the legs .1

an outward set is given the two arms spreading them, and this provides sufficient spring tension so that they are normally held against displacement from the legs, once they are properly located in the sockets.

' This construction answers for ordinary requirements, but if a more severe service is demanded of the stool, the design of tie member illustrated in Fig. 7 may be employed.

I11 this instance a cross tie element 4 connects the two main ties 4, accomplished pref- 2a and 2b with nuts 7 provided on their ends.

Thus a positive tie between the two legs 2a and 2b is obtained. I

The apex end 8 of the tie member latches over a cleat 9, the extreme upper end 9 of which is bent inwardly so as to more conveniently receive the portion 8. The offset portion of the elect is preferably sprung toward the leg in order that the tie member may engage the cleat with slight frictional effort tending to prevent accidental disengagement of one from the other of the two members.

When folding the parts, the end 8 of the tie member is first disengaged from the cleat 9 and swung downwardly and outwardly; the legs are then folded (see Fig. 2) to bring them in substantial parallelism with the seat.

The leg 2 is now disposed between the legs 2a and 2b, with the portion 8 of the tie member lying; interjacent the seat and the leg 2. The folding leg" stool constructed according to mv invention finds readv and convenient application in numerous situations. as for instance. in the kitchen. around banquet tables. as av workmans bench stool and for o her like purposes. It is particularlv de irable in instances where a lar e number of the stoo s are required to be moved from the place in which thev were used to outside s orage quarters. as thev can he reduced in bulk and m h more easilv handled.

Th s characteristic. or capacitv of being hr oht i to condensed form ap lies equallv w ll when the stoo s are in t an t. as more ot them -5111 be, lnorlorl on to n hflfili' H1511! \VOllld he o sihle with. the fixed le s ool.

The stool mav be constructed of either wood or metal. and ot whichever mate ial made. its low cost a d sim le desio'n are teatures which c mmend themselves to the prospe ve purchases.

Havine thus de cribed mv inven ion. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

A toldahle-leo: stool comprising in combination a seat. a le incl ning in one direction from perpendicular disposed beneath said seat. the too end of said lee hein ohliouelv cut o e wav. a hinoepivotallv ecurin said e to said seat. two other less likewise hinoedly connected to said seat. the up er ends thereof heins: cut ohliquelv two wavs. so that thev incline two wavs from perpendicularhe tops of all of said legs making fair and full. contact with the under side of said seat when thev are extended. sockets in said two last ment oned legs. a cleat secured on said first mentioned leg. the upper portion thereof beinn spaced from said leg. a tie member of .qenerally V shape in outward contour interconnecting all of said legs. pintles proiectino' outwardlv from the base portion of said. V shape member and extending through said sockets, nuts on said pintles. and a. transverse portion at the apex of said V shape member adapted to engage said cleat and hold said legs from outwardly spreading.

In testimony whereof I aflix mv signature.

CARL H. JOHNSON. 

